Basket.



A. M. TAYLOR.

BASKET.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14,1908.

994,214 Patented June 6, 1911.

UNITED PATIENT @FFIQE.

ARTHUR M. TAYLOR, OF KEUKA PARK. NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE TAYLOR BASKET AND MACHINE COMPANY, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATICIN OF NEW YORK.

BASKET.

Application filed July 14, 1908.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR M. TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Keuka Park, in the county of Yates and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Baskets; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to baskets, such as are used for containers for fruit, grapes or berries.

The object of my invention is to produce a basket which is cheap both in the material used for its construction, and in the making of the same.

My invention consists in the construction of the basket as will be hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings Figure I, is a view in isometric looking into the basket, showing its general formation or construction, and the manner in which the handle is secured or attached. Fig. II illustrates in sectional view the manner of securing the parts which form the bottom of the basket, and the brace or reinforcement to the bottom. Fig. III illustrates in plan the blank ready to be formed into the basket, which in the case shown is composed of two layers of mate rial to form the bottom, and a cleat secured across the central portion of the bottom.

In forming this basket I prefer to employ two blanks of thin cheap wood, such as veneer, in the drawings represented by 1 and 2. The blank 1 is adapted to form one thickness of the bottom 3 and the sides of the basket 5, 5. The blank 2 forms also one thickness of the bottom 8 and both the ends 4, 4, of the basket. The side portions 5, 5, and the end portions 4, 4, are formed wider at their upper ends for the purpose of forming an overlap when the parts are fastened as shown in Fig. I and this structure also provides each blank with a contracted middle portion of substantially rectangular dimensions as best seen in Fig. III. I also preferably score the material as at 6, 8, and 7, 7, to conform to the desired conformation of the body, thus allowing the material to be bent at these lines without breaking or contorting the material.

8 represents a short cleat of greater thickness than the material of the basket andof sufficient cross section to sustain tacks, both at its ends 9, 9 and through its body portion as at 10. The functions of this cleat 8 are manifold. First it aids as a cross brace for the bottom of the basket, and as a means of securing the two blanks 1 and 2 together in relative position; second it forms a guide or gage whereby the blank may be properly set onto a former, and third, but not least, it forms a means whereby the handle 11, can be securely attached to the basket at the lower portion of the handle. Thus this cleat bears the weight of the contents of the basket and forms a purchase for the handle of the basket, and without this cleatthe handle could not be otherwise secured to the basket at the bottom portion thereof. This cleat 8 is in fact what makes the formation of a basket with veneer or a thin bottom a success, where otherwise it would be a failure. I have illustrated this cleat 8 in curved cross section, but it is apparent that this is only a matter of preference. I have also described the material of which the basket is formed as being wood veneer, but it is also apparent that other stifl material, such as straw board may be used, in which case a single piece blank could be used".

In forming the basket the cleat 8 is tacked through the bottom portion, approximately central and across the same. Thus it will be seen that when the basket is formed of two pieces, the pieces are held in proper formation and in relative juxtaposition to each other. When the cleat 8 has been nailed in place the blank is placed over a form and bent, either by hand or machine, the cleat 8 acting as a guide to centralize the blank, and the top bands, 12, 12, are tacked on, holding the ends and sides together and overlapped, as shown in Fig. I, the opposite terminal edges of the strips uniting to form with said bands the top of the basket. The handle 11 is next secured by tacking it at its lower ends as at 14 to the ends of the cleat 8, and at the bands 12, 13 as at 15.

It is readily seen that by the before mentioned construction a basket is formed which is cheap, durable, and which has the additional advantage, that as the handles are easily secured Without the aid of special apparatus, the baskets can be shipped Without handles and the handles secured in place when required, by inexperienced labor.

What I claim is 2- 1. A basket formed of two strips of thin material having contracted middle portions and arranged crossing one another at their contracted middle portions, said cross portions forming a basket bottom, the opposite ends of said strips flaring outwardly and turned upwardly forming the sides and ends of the basket, overlapping edges provided on said strip ends, a cleat positioned within the basket transversely thereof, the opposite ends of said cleat engaging the inner basket sides, securing means passing through the double basket bottom and entering said cleat, a handle grip positioned outside of the basket and having its opposite ends terminating contiguous to the basket bottom and fasten ing members projecting through said handle ends and basket sides and firmly embedded in said cleat.

2. A basket formed of two strips of thin material having contracted middle portions and arranged crossing one another at their contracted middle portions, said cross por tions being of substantially rectangular dimensions and forming a basket bottom, the opposite ends of said strips being slightly enlarged and having their edges overlapping one another, said ends of the strips forming the sides and ends of the basket, the opposite edges of said strips forming the top of the basket, a handle grip positioned exteriorly of the basket, a cleat positioned interiorly of a basket and transversely of the bottom thereof, securing means positioned through said cross portions of the strips and entering said cleat, securing means positioned through said handle grip and the sides of the basket and entering said cleat and securing means through the grip and the basket top.

3. A basket formed of two strips of thin material arranged crossing each other at their middle portions forming a basket bottom and turned upwardly forming the sides and ends; a cleat of material to receive a driven fastener arranged on the bottom and transversely thereof, the ends abutting the sides of the basket; a grip abutting the sides opposite the cleat and fastening devices eX- tending through the grip and sides and into the cleat.

Signed at Keuka Park, county of Yates, New York, this 13th day of June 1908.

ARTHUR M. TAYLOR.

WVitnesses:

Com J. BARRUS, C. H. BEACH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing" the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

